Going Hungry in Wealthy Australia

Cover Photo by Jacob (Getty Images)

Too many Australians are ‘sick with worry’ as the cost of essential goods and services continue to skyrocket past the Consumer Price Index (CPI) including in: health – medical and hospital services, pharmaceutical products; housing – utilities and other household fuels and rents; and education – high fees.^[1]

The multi-crises and determinants of income poverty in Australia include the current the cost-of-living crisis in Australia.

The cost of living is measured against the Consumer Price Index (CPI) comprising 11 major groups including food, housing, clothing, health, transport, and communications. Such consumption of goods contributes directly to health and wellbeing and ‘acceptable’ living standards.

Research studies show that the current cost of living crisis exacerbates the trend of increasing income poverty as the cost of essential goods and services skyrockets past the CPI. Increasing numbers of people cannot pay their bills, rent or mortgage or pay for heating/cooling or afford food. The latter material deprivation means more and more people are going hungry.

Learn more about the pricing tricks used by Australian supermarkets: theguardian.com/business/2024/sep/25/phantom-brands-seasonal-discounts-and-shrinkflation-the-pricing-tricks-used-by-australian-supermarkets